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Microsoft's Windows 8 Uptake Growing Slowly

Windows 7 and XP still dominate web traffic for the Windows platform with 44.6% and 39% share respectively in February per Net Applications. It is not too surprising that Windows 8 hasn’t had higher usage (it was 2.67% in February) since businesses are going to need to test and train its employees and I don’t think consumers are rushing to buy a new PC or looking to upgrade to an operating system that they can’t fully take advantage of on older technology. It seems like they would prefer to keep using their existing system and buy a tablet, mainly the iPad.

Source: Net Applications

Microsoft is seeing a steady but slow increase in usage as Windows 8 was released in October 2012 and generated about 1.1% of Windows traffic in November. It has climbed every month and is now at 2.67%, up from 2.26% in January.

One hindrance with adoption and usage growing faster in the coming months is that the upgrade charge started at $39.99 but is now $119.99 for the Standard version and $199.99 for the Pro version.

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I upgraded to Windows 8. It is kind of a mess, which surprises me because Windows 7 is so good. But, honestly, I use XP at work, I have a laptop with Windows 7, and a desktop with Windows 8, and there is nothing compelling to make you upgrade, even from XP, in my mind.

In fact, I am going to resurrect an old XP desktop for my 11 year old to screw around with, he wants to learn Scratch programming.

This story completely misses the most important aspect of Windows 8 “growth”, namely that the growth RATE is declining each and every month, and in fact the growth RATE peaked after the first two months of release. That is, each and every month since the second month of release, Windows 8 has grown at a SLOWER pace. If this trend keeps up, then Windows 8 will NEVER crack 5% of the PC market.

And if Windows 8 fails, then Metro UI fails, and if Metro UI fails, then the Windows Store fails, and if the Windows Store fails, then Windows RT fails, which pretty much means everything Microsoft has been banking on is going to fail.

While you are correct on the growth rate slowing I believe it is too early to make a long-term call. There should be an initial spike as the company said that 40 million copies had been sold. Take that number with a large grain of salt as to the usage of the systems could be very low, but still could create a nice bump in the first few months. I’m not saying that Windows 8 will be a large success, just will have to wait a year or two to see how it does.

In six months, it will be virtually indisputable as to whether Windows 8 is successful or not. The tech world is moving at a MUCH faster pace than when Microsoft’s last disaster, Vista, was first released. Hell, in two years, Microsoft will have Windows 9 in pre-release.

Windows 9? Windows 8 will continue as a large success, yes its introducing touch and people are hesitant to make the switch and the hardware is still pretty high priced. You fools think hardware refresh cycles happen in a few months? Hardly… But prices are just now starting to come down, and Windows 8 will increase in adoption. IT shops will take a year or two and they will move also. I just bought a Lenovo Yoga 13 and it crushes anything Apple has and is costs 40% less and runs all the real software.

“It seems like they would prefer to keep using their existing system and buy a tablet, mainly the iPad” or apparently the Surface Pro. I would guess that item is almost 100% responsible for the W8 jump in internet use.

The only reason why Windows 8 is experiencing any kind of growth is because Microsoft is forcing it into our faces. They have negotiations with Dell, HP, Toshiba and pretty much every other major PC brand out there, so that every computer ships with Windows 8. The average user probably won’t replace Windows 8 with something else whether they want to or not because they may not even know how. So they’re stuck with whatever Microsoft makes them use, unless the person is clever enough to look for such utilities like Start8.

Sure, there are people that like Windows 8. That’s great for them. But for the most part, Windows 8 is not liked by people. Otherwise I wouldn’t be stumbling across all these articles saying “Windows 8 off to a slow start, etc”.

But Windows 8 is sure to have a little growth, mainly because laptops all ship with it, so it’s forced upon us.